Basketball no-tie net to goal attaching means



April 28, 1959 J. H. CUNNINGHAM 2,384,249

. BASKETBALL NO-TIE NET T0 GOALATTACHING MEANS Filed June 15, 1955 INVENTOR J. H. CUNNINGHAM United States Patent BASKETBALL NO-TIE NET TO GOAL ATTACHING MEANS John H. Cunningham, Baltimore, Md.

Application June 15, 1955, Serial No'. 515,629

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-) This invention relates to sports of various kinds including those played both indoors and out of doors, andmore particularly to the game of basketball in which a goal ring is mounted on a back board and has net at tached thereto and suspended therefrom so that when the basketball passes through the ring it can readily be seen by both the players andspectators.

The invention relates specifically to the manner of attaching the net to the goal ring so that it may be readily attached and removed and which when in place will not interfere with the basketball in its movement on top of or within the ring. The invention is also concerned with attaching means which will not be broken off or its use impaired upon impact either with the basketball or player and also which will permit the net to be properly supported and adjusted.

Basketball nets attached in various ways have not been fully satisfactory for various reasons including not securely held in place, not self adjusting, held in a manner that the cord of the net wears too quickly, difliculty of attachment and removal as well as adjustment. They were complicated, complex, costly, did not provided sufficient beating area to adequately distribute the wear so that the net would have a long life and not fail prematurely.

It is an object of the invention to provide simple and inexpensive fastening means for securing a basketball net to a goal ring, which can be readily produced, is easy to use, will permit automatic adjustment of the net, will not be in the way, and will support the net in a manner to give it maximum life and durability.

Another object of the invention is to provide a basketball goal including a goal ring and suspended net in which the net is detachably supported along a substantial portion of its length in a manner that wear on the net is minimized and the net can be readily attached to and removed from the goal ring with minimum effort and will automatically adjust itself and otherwise satisfactorily perform the function for which it was designed.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a basketball goal incorporating one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2, an enlarged, detailed perspective of a portion of a goal ring and fastener attached thereto, viewed exteriorly of the goal ring;

Fig. 3, an enlarged, inverted, fragmentary side elevation of a fragment of a goal ring and attached fastener viewed from the interior of the ring;

Fig. 4, a section on the line 4-4 of Fig.

Fig. 5, a fragmentary bottom plan view;

Fig. 6, a fragmentary side elevation; and,

Fig. 7, a section on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Briefly stated, the present invention is a no-tie fastener of which a series, usually twelve, are employed spaced equally around this ring for securing a net to the under side of a basketball goal. Each fastener comprises a sleeve-like net cord receiving body supported centrally at one end from the under side of the goal ring and with its other end free and with a pair of diverging extensions, one at each side mounted portion, and with ed to fit over the upper surface of the cord when the cord isapplied and stretched in a straight line longitudinally,- and in such position the cord can easily slide lengthwise 1 for self adjustment of the net on the goal ring. In apply} I ing the cord, it is only necessary that it be inserted behind the oppositely spiralled ends of the fastener and opposite portions pulled in the opposite sides in a straight line to cause the intermediate portion of the cord to move downwardly into the sleeve and its proper position.

In order to detach the net from the goal ring the portions of the cord at each side of the opposite spirals are moved into a central position between the spirals and pulled forwardly thus releasing the cord.

With continued reference to the drawing, in Fig. 1 is disclosed a basketball goal including a goal ring 10 and a net 11 supported by a bracket 12 and a pair of brace rods 13 from a backboard (not shown) or other suitable support.

The net 11 aids in viewing the ball in its passage through the goal and since it is of cord it is necessary to replace the same from time to time due to wear. Consequently, suitable fastening means must be provided and the present invention includes an improved fastener for accomplishing this purpose.

Each of the fasteners comprises a sleeve-like netcord receiving body 14 connected centrally at one side by a support 15 to the under side of the goal ring to which it is welded or otherwise secured. Each support 15 is of a relatively large diameter with a relatively I short axis.

At its opposite or free side the sleeve-like net-cord receiving body 14 is provided with a pair of diverging extensions or guards 16 and 17, one at each side of the mounting portion 15, and with such diverging extensions forming right and left hand spirals which assist in preventing accidental detachment of the net from the goal ring. The sleeve portion of the fastener is of a size to accommodate net cords of various diameters and of a character to retain the same in position regardless of size so that such net cords may freely slide endwise in the sleeves, of which there are usually twelve in number, spaced along the under side of the goal ring.

The critch 18 and the nose 19 of the central attaching member are spaced apart slightly less than the internal diameter of the sleeve to facilitate retention of the net cord therein. The curved nose or projection 19 fits over the upper surface of the cord when the latter is applied and extended in a straight line but which permits the cord to easily slide lengthwise for self-adjustment of the net relative to the goal ring.

In applying, the cord is looped over the opposite spirals 16 and 17 and its center portion is pressed beneath the nose 19 of the mounting portion 15. Thereafter the portions of the cord at each end of the sleeve are pulled in a straight line so that the cord will move into the sleeve where it may move endwise freely. In removing,

Patented Apr. 28,1959 j all that is necessary is for the cord at each side of the diverging spirals 16 and 17 to be brought together and pulled forwardly to release the same.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the fastener of the present invention is relatively small and consequently out of the way on the under side of the goal ring, that it permits automatic adjustment of the net, that attachment and removal of the net can be done with minimum eifort and time consumption, and further that the device is easy to manufacture and apply and will satisfactorily perform the function for which designed.

It'will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a goal ring for supporting 'a depending sleevelike goal net, a device for removably receiving cord portions of the net comprising a support depending from the ring, an elongated sleeve body depending transversely from one side of said support, substantially parallel to said ringand curving therebeneath toward said ring for providing a cord receiving groove, said sleeve body terminating short of the other side of said support and 4i forming a crotch therewith opening toward said ring for receiving the goal cord therethrough, a nose portion integral with said support and overlying said crotch portion for retaining the cord against displacement from said cord receiving groove, said sleeve body including extensions diverging from opposite ends thereof and including an edge portion defining a continuation of said crotch, said extensions overlying said cord receiving groove on ,opposite sides of said support. 10

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said extensions terminate in terminal end portions curving away from said cord receiving groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 317,350 Hasskarl May 5, 1885 817,557 Hatherly Apr. 10, 1906 1,446,781 Benson Feb. 27, 1923 2,053,635 Sandeberg Sept. 8, 1936 2,489,174 Cunningham Nov. 22, 1949 2,520,834 Crawford Aug. 29, 1950v 2,666,641 Bonham Jan. 19, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 5,729 Great Britain Mar. 7, 1911 

